Following the underperformance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Rocksteady Studios has experienced further layoffs. The game's disappointing sales initially resulted in a 50% reduction of the QA team in September. Recent layoffs have now impacted Rocksteady's programming and art departments, occurring just before the game's final update.
Rocksteady, renowned for the Batman: Arkham series, faced challenges in 2024 with the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The game received mixed reviews, and its post-launch DLC further fueled controversy. Consequently, Rocksteady announced the cessation of new content after a final January update.
The game proved costly for both Rocksteady and its parent company, WB Games. Warner Bros. acknowledged in February that the game fell short of sales projections. The subsequent layoffs in the QA department, reducing staff from 33 to 15, were a direct consequence of this underperformance.
However, these cuts were not isolated. Eurogamer reported additional layoffs at the end of 2024, affecting more QA staff, programmers, and artists. Several anonymous employees confirmed their dismissals, highlighting the impact on their careers. Warner Bros. remains silent on these recent layoffs, mirroring its response to the September cuts.
Further Fallout from Suicide Squad's Underperformance
Rocksteady isn't alone in facing repercussions from Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's poor performance. WB Games Montreal, the studio behind Batman: Arkham Origins and Gotham Knights, also experienced layoffs in December, primarily affecting quality assurance personnel who supported Rocksteady's post-launch DLC.
The final DLC, released December 10th, introduced Deathstroke as the fourth playable character. While a final update is scheduled for later this month, Rocksteady's future plans remain uncertain. The game's failure casts a shadow on Rocksteady's otherwise impressive track record of critically acclaimed DC video games, underscoring the significant impact of the live-service title's underperformance.
